Farmers Movement Archive

UP’s rural polls: BKU issues statement, asks people not to vote for BJP

Agra: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) on Tuesday issued a statement asserting that it has always been asking people to choose any candidate other than those from the BJP. This came a day after its general secretary Yudhveer Singh told TOI that the farmers’ outfit has not taken any stand against the ruling party in the upcoming panchayat polls in UP. A statement issued by the BKU general secretary read, “Samyukt Kisan Morcha (united farmers front) is fighting against the anti-farmer policies of the central government. We are going to the states where assembly polls are being held and asking people not to vote for the BJP. Regarding the panchayat elections in UP, we would like to state that BKU is a non-political organization. We do not indulge in politics and do not appeal to people to vote for any party. We want people to vote for anyone except BJP-supported candidates.” TOI had a day earlier reported Singh saying BKU "had no plans to oppose any party, including the BJP". “People are smart enough to make the correct choice,” he had said. Sources said that a nudge from the top leadership of Samyukt Kisan Morcha and from the local leadership of BKU forced the outfit’s general secretary to issue a statement. Asked about it, BKU’s national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait stuck to his earlier stand. “I also never asked people to vote for BJP. It is a local election and people are free to choose anyone they want.” Talking to TOI on Tuesday, a senior leader of Samyukt Kisan Morcha, Gurnam Singh Chaduni, said, “So far, no agenda for discussion over panchayat election in UP has been received by the Morcha. Our stand is clear. BJP will be opposed in elections across the nation. The party-led central government has done injustice to farmers. Farmer leaders from UP have been actively campaigning against BJP in West Bengal. They should do that in UP as well.”

The Times of India

2021-04-14

Agra